tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192Sun, 21 Mar 2010 17:15:43 +0000http://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Pattie)Blogger46125noreply@blogger.comnotag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-6212427718061217669Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:18:00 +00002010-03-15T00:20:45.804-07:00disabilitiesvisitabilitynew homesuniversal designAn excellent description of the "costs" of ignoring visitability. It's so simple. Either we care or we don't.What’s At Stake These are serious matters. And yet . . . * Most builders have not yet begun to construct routine access in new houses. * Most buyers have not yet begun to demand it. * Most policy makers have not yet made it a priorityhttp://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-at-stake.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-4524612045146533382Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:03:00 +00002010-03-03T10:39:23.869-08:00disabilitiesmediastigmafreedomchronic illnessI was a guest on Good Health Matters this morning discussing how social roles make living with chronic illness difficult. You can still listen to the show:I had a great time talking about sociology's contribution to improving health and well-being.I really love Verria's approach to chronic illness. She has a "Health Detective Starter Kit" for free on her website, The Good Health Coach. Living http://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2010/03/change-your-role-change-your-health.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-7605599203494238361Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:12:00 +00002010-02-02T12:33:41.573-08:00more infoInternet Realtynew homesThere are two reasons you might want to buy a home NOW:You have not owned a home in the last three years. You've owned the same home and lived in it consecutively for 5 out of the last 8 years. If this is your circumstance, now is the time to shop for a new home. If you put in an offer to buy before May 1 and then close before July 1 of this year, you can file and receive a tax credit this year http://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2010/02/homebuying-credits-now-is-time.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-373131867873359141Tue, 05 Jan 2010 23:21:00 +00002010-01-05T15:59:04.991-08:00disabilitiesmodest needsGood news is that our camera is working again (turned out to be bad batteries). So here's some pix from when we pick up the scooter I got from Scooterville through the generosity of donors on Modest Needs.We bought the scooter from Brad at Scooterville and picked it up at the Broadacres Swap Meet on Saturday, December 5. He's out there every weekend in Space 1304. Since then he's been totally http://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2010/01/camera-working-heres-pix-from-day-i-got.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-2263268582492458000Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:36:00 +00002010-01-04T15:21:27.816-08:00disabilitiesvisitabilitynew homesstigmauniversal designfreedomOne of the things that holds back accommodations for differences in abilities is the paradigms through which we see things. There are many ways we are constrained by past thinking, but perhaps none are more constraining than the thinking that goes into design of the material world. Where we live, tools we use, equipment we need, roads we drive and so forth began as an idea in the minds of http://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2010/01/social-stigma-by-design.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-9046977656673802385Sat, 02 Jan 2010 04:42:00 +00002010-01-01T20:42:32.152-08:00Here's the story plus video.I-Team: The Power of One - Las Vegas Nowhttp://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2010/01/i-team-power-of-one-las-vegas-now.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-4732954466204487462Fri, 01 Jan 2010 19:10:00 +00002010-01-01T11:26:52.554-08:00disabilitiesmodest needsfreedomI was extremely excited to receive help from Modest Needs to become more mobile.Now I'm happy to be part of letting Las Vegans and Nevadans know about this wonderful micro-charity!If you are local, watch today (January 1st) at 4p on Channel 8, KLAS-TV. They are doing a story about Modest Needs, featuring me and my new scooter.I highly encourage you to become a donor at Modest Needs if you can. http://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2010/01/story-about-modest-needs-airs-4p-pst.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-5204988474484375282Fri, 01 Jan 2010 06:38:00 +00002009-12-31T22:44:19.846-08:00disabilitiesInternet Realtymodest needsSo I doubt many people will realize this because I haven't really publicized this blog much yet, but I spent the past two days setting up a new look and new links. I hope you like it. More importantly, I hope you learn something useful to make your life richer, or at least, easier.There is definitely more to come.This week has been a whirlwind of activity:On Tuesday, I was interviewed by Channelhttp://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2009/12/facelift.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-795398937853998481Sun, 06 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +00002009-12-31T22:36:35.421-08:00disabilitiesmodest needsI picked up my new scooter today. Wow. I can't believe that I got it. The camera broke or I'd show you the pix we took when I picked it up from Scooterville. Here's the history of how I got it:Last year (2008), my friend Kell told me about this website called Modest Needs that gave small grants to people who needed a helping hand to keep them from falling into poverty. At the time, our Sonatahttp://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2009/12/modest-needs-and-my-new-scooter.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-4873188661384150369Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:24:00 +00002009-12-31T22:36:09.436-08:00Las Vegasuniversal designfreedomFirst, given that Las Vegas is a major travel destination, this isn't that big of a difference in purpose.Second, I've been stuck here a bit (going on 3 years, which is a long time for me), so I figure time to stir things up locally.Finally, I got my RE license in August and it seems to me that the best thing I can contribute to the community while making a living is to push those barriers down.http://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2009/11/why-switch-from-travel-to-real-estate.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-8932599270881771492Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:22:00 +00002010-01-04T15:33:24.776-08:00Las Vegasstigmauniversal designfreedomAfter several years being dormant, Ample Ramblings is being re-awakened with a new mission: To work towards universal accessibility in Las Vegas. Over the next few months, I hope to explore ways to encourage our community here to become more open to persons with disabilities, seniors and anyone who has special needs in both housing and public spaces. The current economic climate is regarded byhttp://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2009/10/new-life-for-old-blog-new-attitude-for.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-4671702110756860731Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:33:00 +00002008-08-20T13:39:22.869-07:00BlackBerryP and I have acquired BlackBerry units. In fact, I am typing and posting this entry from mine. The mobility campaign continues. Look out, world.http://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2008/08/blackberry-harvest.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Carl)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-116535071579626132Tue, 05 Dec 2006 20:19:00 +00002010-01-04T15:33:24.776-08:00disabilitiestravelstigmaWow. I'm not sure what else to say regarding the shortsightedness of the Smithsonian Journeys:Physical and Medical ConsiderationsPlease note that these tours require that participants be in good physical condition: you must be capable, without assistance, of walking a minimum of one mile over uneven terrain and of climbing stairs that may not have handrails. Participants should have sufficient http://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2006/12/so-much-for-ingenuity-and-engineering.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-114900933672111629Wed, 03 May 2006 16:26:00 +00002010-01-04T15:33:24.777-08:00disabilitiestravelstigmaFor the second year in a row, we attended the annual National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Convention in Las Vegas. This year we explored the strip more and didn't go downtown much. I rented a scooter again (I highly recommend these guys, best deal on scooters in Vegas), but avoided buses.I have to say I was still disappointed even in the newer areas. I have come to regard environments ashttp://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2006/05/passive-aggressive-las-vegas.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-114900635530257747Wed, 12 Apr 2006 15:25:00 +00002010-01-04T15:29:21.595-08:00fat acceptancetravelI spoke at Smith College's Fat and the Academy (FATA) last week in Northampton, Mass. Getting from Phoenix Arizona to New England on a budget can be fun. On the way out, I went through Detroit (flying into Hartford). On the way back, I went through Cinncinati and then through Minneapolis. From the moment I left the hotel to the moment I arrived at my condo door, I had been traveling for 18 http://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2006/04/two-seat-solution.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-114900262643503799Fri, 17 Mar 2006 16:58:00 +00002010-01-04T15:31:24.328-08:00fat acceptancedisabilitiestravelI try to stay on an industry level when I talk about different travel issues though I do from time to time run into a level of service that is either so good or so bad that it merits mentioning a specific company.I have flown Frontier Airlines three times now and each time has been the best experience I've had flying. So, here is a top 5 list of what I enjoyed most about my experiences with http://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2006/03/frontier-airlines-top-5.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-114088192106077788Sat, 25 Feb 2006 14:30:00 +00002010-01-04T15:29:21.596-08:00travelOkay, the fact that I haven't posted in six months, may lead you to believe that we have not been travelling lately. That is not true. We have discovered the weekend/mid-week getaway and the "day trip." There are ample opportunities to do so from Phoenix: Head south to Tucson (which we have done on business a couple of times now) or Mexico (which we have not really done yet, but is totally http://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2006/02/back-on-road.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-112792338975523513Wed, 28 Sep 2005 15:36:00 +00002010-01-04T15:31:24.328-08:00hurricanesdisabilitiesVeronica over at Size Matters, Too has done a couple of shows (see below) on the need for accommodating larger people who have survived Katrina. You can listen for free this week and pay a small fee for archived versions. I was especially impressed that the question of rebuilding New Orleans came up in the course of the discussion with Carole Cullum. Among the many lessons learned by this stormhttp://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2005/09/katrinarita-opportunity-for-universal.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-112602684870088692Tue, 06 Sep 2005 17:13:00 +00002010-01-04T15:33:24.777-08:00fat acceptancehurricanesstigmaBig Fat Blog posted about the need for donations of plus-sized clothing. I also received this via a sociology list serve:==================I spoke with a woman named Rosetta at Community Action in Alabama today. They are assisting hundreds of people displaced by Hurricane Katrina. One of the things that is in very short supply is clothing for larger sized people. If you can spare any clothing http://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2005/09/clothing-needed-for-plus-sized-katrina.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-112591230161378063Mon, 05 Sep 2005 09:35:00 +00002010-01-04T15:30:36.661-08:00hurricanesI wanted to see for myself some of the faces of the victims of the storm. I needed to humanize this event. The pictures I chose below are in an archive on the Times Picayune website that has been carrying extensive updates for the past few days and for which I've been grateful to have some idea of what is going on in my former hometown. Some of these are quite graphic, but I wanted Ample http://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2005/09/pictures-of-evacuees-rescued-from.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-112591299145412115Mon, 05 Sep 2005 09:25:00 +00002010-01-04T15:30:36.661-08:00hurricanesWould not let me load all the photos into one entry -- here are the remaining ones I found that moved me. While his friend played Bach, this man danced on wheels while they waited to be rescued. Sometimes the human spirit amazes even cynical me.Tourists were a large part of the people stranded by the storm. Travel can leave one quite vulnerable at times and this is perhaps one of the worst http://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2005/09/more-photos.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-112589559826747643Mon, 05 Sep 2005 02:28:00 +00002010-01-04T15:33:24.777-08:00hurricanesdisabilitiesstigmaI have not been able to ignore the fact that many of the people stranded in New Orleans post-Katrina are persons with disabiities. I used to live in New Orleans about 20 years ago and as I've watched the ordeal unfold this week, I have thought long and hard about how I would have been able to get out. When I lived in New Orleans, I did not bother to own a car for two years. Even when I owned ahttp://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2005/09/disaster-preparedness-and-persons-with.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-112308468391325695Wed, 03 Aug 2005 15:58:00 +00002010-01-04T15:33:24.778-08:00travelstigmaSupreme Court: Norwegian Cruise Line Great victory that I missed a couple of months ago. Check out the rest of the website as well -- great material. http://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2005/08/supreme-court-foreign-cruise-ships.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-112254451474393641Tue, 26 Jul 2005 16:00:00 +00002010-01-04T15:33:24.778-08:00disabilitiesstigmaFirst, let me say that I think that the ADA is perhaps one of the best laws ever crafted. So many legal solutions are about one size fits all mentalities that leave little room for nuance or process. The ADA outlines a process by which individuals and organizations can find a way to include persons of differing abilities. That process concentrates more on functionality than on labelling and http://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2005/07/july-26th-marked-15th-anniversary-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771192.post-112007906275176029Wed, 29 Jun 2005 21:04:00 +00002010-01-04T15:29:21.597-08:00fat acceptancetravel(thanks to Plus Stuff for the heads up on this site)Check out Wes Boyd's Kayak Place -- he has a great section for larger kayakers:Kayaking for Big Guys (And Gals)Happy paddling!http://ampleramblings.blogspot.com/2005/06/big-kayaking_29.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Pattie)0en-usnonadult